How I did it??”In late May, our "Fab 5 Group" arrived early at John Chestnut Sr. Park, located in Palm Harbor, in our quest to secure images of Bard Owls. While walking on a boardwalk we spotted a Raccoon nest. Low and behold there were 2 tails and 2 legs hanging out of the nest. That was a first for me. Couldn't capture a face, however I wanted to share "Half-N-half-Mom and baby Raccoons with you. Tools for the day, OM1 Mark 11 with 150 to 400mm lens, handheld. My problem was too much lens, as the nest was close. My settings were f5.6, Auto ISO @ 2000th of a second at 150 mm. Image was sharpened, slight crop and saturation boost. No Owls were found, however the moral of this story is that one never knows what is around the next curve or corner.
6 comments posted
Dr Isaac Vaisman
Erik, "Dolce per non fare nulla", Italian for sweet to do nothing !! This image makes me smile. To be in the right place at the right time has its rewards. This is a very unique image.Congratulations for your hunter eyes. Yes, it is sharp. Posted: 07/04/2025 12:59:52
Guy Davies
A bit of a puzzle at first until I read your description, Erik. It is quite amusing to see wild animals simply taking time out for relaxation. Sharp and well captured. Yes, it can be difficult if your lens is too long. It happened to me once with a bison in Yellowstone! Posted: 07/05/2025 15:35:55
R Gary Butler
Erik, I love this shot because it is so unique. I do not believe in my 10 years in PSA that I've ever seen an image quite like this one. You have sharp eyes and are always looking for these moments. You've done a great job, capturing it. Knowing how hard this is to capture I think it should be a prize winner in a PSA exhibition. It's somewhat sad though that so many judges would throw it out because it's a "butt shot". Keep shooting these unique shots, my friend. Posted: 07/08/2025 23:45:33
Ian Chantler
Hi Erik
At first I thought you had found the secret hideaway of Davy Crockett.
I would imagine if you were in the forest the lighting was not too good plus you had a long zoom on the camera this is a remarkable image,I especially love the lighting on the outstretched limb at the top of the image,gorgeous texture throughout the image, its a winner all ends up for me and so makes me smile.
Thanks for sharing Erik. Posted: 07/19/2025 14:54:58
Vella Kendall
As said before it is an unusual and unique image. You make the point of how important it is to be aware of one's surroundings. I can see this being a poster with a catchy saying. The little foot at the bottom is my favorite part. Another thing I like is that the fur mimics the colors in the tree trunk. It's an image that warms the heart. Posted: 07/26/2025 20:29:29
Bill Buchanan
Great catch. I always enjoy the humorous side of nature photography. They may not win gold medals but they're fun to look at. Posted: 07/27/2025 17:26:14
